Irienya Berarde
Irienya Berarde is the Countess of Markwasten, and a princess from Arenthia in Valenwood. 'Appearance:' Short and slender of build, with chestnut skin reminiscent of the southern sun and a face comprised entirely of softly insistent Bosmeri angles; high curved cheekbones, a delicate chin, fine soaring brows and the sharp nose of a huntress. Her eyes are solid black, giving her an air of the enigmatic and alien, and her hair is waist-length torrent of mahogany, generally decorated in Bosmeri fashion with bone beads, silk, and even exotic feathers. She is the very essence of tasteful poise, and acts as a needed touch of colour beside her husband’s sober looks. 'Skills:' While she does not have her husband’s zealous devotion or trained capabilities as a spy, Irienya has an easy charm and a talent for navigating public opinions. Aside from that, she is a talented archer (for a noblewoman at least) and a great poet, and patron of the arts. 'Equipment:' It is unseemly for a Countess to go armed, so generally Irienya entrusts her personal safety to her guards, and personal Bosmeri bodyguard. However, she owns an exquisite bow from Valenwood, and a suit of fine leather armour (decorated almost beyond the realms of practicality) with which she is occasionally known to go hunting. She dresses fashionably in bright colours, and while she does not presume to match the most extravagant of noblewomen with her experiments, she makes sure to blend flavours of her Bosmeri heritage (coloured leather, bone jewellery and the like) with her High Rock attire, giving her a colourful and exotic air that delights her people. 'Background:' Irienya is one of the many daughters of the Treethane of Arenthia, in Northern Valenwood. Her father, Agnathur, was blessed with dozens of daughters, from several mothers, and so when a Breton earl seeking an elven bride requested her hand, he happily offered it. It was with some trepidation that she came to High Rock, but her future in Valenwood had offered her adventurous soul little. On arrival in Markwasten, she remained hopeful, despite the sad contrast between Arenthia’s lush forests, and her new home’s bleak moors and twisted woods, and she soon found the Earl to be quite agreeable, if less interested than she might have hoped. She bore him a son in their first year of marriage, and since then has rarely been intimate with him. Instead, she acts mostly as a close friend and trusted advisor, and the Earl is kind enough (or perhaps, wise enough) to permit her liberties denied to most married women, as long as she is discreet. 'Character Summary:' The Bosmeri countess is a politically very valuable foil to the Earl’s dour sobriety. She is cheerful, charming, and bright, and much beloved by her people for it, and for her patronage of song, dance, and art. She is not, however, particularly well-regarded by the majority of nobles – a Bosmer, especially one with so few useful connections, is hardly a fitting wife for an earl of High Rock, and while discretion is Markwasten’s watchword, it is impossible to suppress every rumour (especially given the Bosmeri reputation for promiscuity). Neither Irienya nor her husband permit such criticisms to affect their arrangement, however, and she has over the short few years of their marriage become the Earl’s closest advisor and friend, particularly since the birth of their son, Dunwyn. Category:Characters Category:Nobility Category:Bosmer Category:Wayrest Category:Markwasten